Article A Convenient Synthetic Method to Improve Immunogenicity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Related T-Cell Epitope Peptides Kata Horváti 1,2,* , Bernadett Pályi 3, Judit Henczkó 3, Gyula Balka 4, Eleonóra Szabó 5, Viktor Farkas 6 , Beáta Biri-Kovács 1,2 ,Bálint Szeder 7 and Kinga Fodor 8 1 MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary 2 Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest 1117, Hungary 3 National Biosafety Laboratory, National Public Health Center, Budapest 1097, Hungary 4 Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest 1078, Hungary 5 Laboratory of Bacteriology, Korányi National Institute for Tuberculosis and Respiratory Medicine, Budapest 1122, Hungary 6 MTA-ELTE Protein Modelling Research Group, Eötvös Loránd University, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary 7 Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest 1117, Hungary 8 Department of Laboratory Animal and Animal Protection, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest 1078, Hungary * Correspondence:
[email protected] Received: 27 June 2019; Accepted: 20 August 2019; Published: 27 August 2019 Abstract: Epitopes from different proteins expressed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Rv1886c, Rv0341, Rv3873) were selected based on previously reported antigenic properties. Relatively short linear T-cell epitope peptides generally have unordered structure, limited immunogenicity, and low in vivo stability. Therefore, they rely on proper formulation and on the addition of adjuvants. Here we report a convenient synthetic route to induce a more potent immune response by the formation of a trivalent conjugate in spatial arrangement. Chemical and structural characterization of the vaccine conjugates was followed by the study of cellular uptake and localization.